True Meaning of Valentine's Day
by RangerHunter240
Summary: Lover's day has come... but so has an Org. And two very sad, now single, lovers... Can the Lunar Wolf and the Noble Tiger make up? Even after something else was promised? This is a continuation of 'True Meaning of Christmas'... and a One-Shot.


**Alright, I figured I shouldn't just let Christmas have all the love, so, here's another True Meaning Story... this one, being about today... Valentine's day, of course.**

**So now; Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers Wild Force, if I did, then Alyssa and Merrick would be Cannon.**

**And now... True Meaning of Valentine's Day...**

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Alyssa was really depressed…

Even if he'd apologized, Merrick's words still bounced in her head from just about two weeks earlier.

"I'm the one who released Zen-Aku I have to handle this on my own!" He'd exclaimed.

Not only that but… it was something he'd said after everyone else split off to get to the Animarium for their celebration, which he never came to at all.

**_Flashback…_**

"Hey, Alyssa… wait."

The White Ranger frowned and turned to him, "Yes?"

"About what I'd said earlier…. I'm really sorry." He apologized, "I just… I didn't want anything to happen because of my mistake 3,000 years ago."

"Okay…..?" Alyssa raised a brow… that can't be all.

"But… what happened today… it made me realize that…. Being with you, while I have loved every moment of it… we can't last forever as I once thought… not with everything going on."

Alyssa's heart nearly broke, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… we should break up."

**_Flashback end…_**

Alyssa jolted out of the memory with a quick shake of her head.

She couldn't stay focused on that… after all, Merrick had a point.

With their lives as they are… it's impossible to have a relationship with anyone…. Even those of the team.

But… what was really upsetting about that, is that today was Valentine's day…

And, to make things sadder, a boy they'd met just a week ago had gone missing… and, while Cole was trying to find him through animals, Alyssa was trying to help, while also figuring out ways to avoid any possible thing involving love, or Valentine's day…. Or Merrick.

It was Saturday, so she couldn't really study, and she promised Max and Danny that they didn't have to train since it was a holiday weekend.

Any and all other ways she could think of became impossible when she heard the Ode to Animaria, the song that wakes everyone up, come to a surprising stop, causing her to become both worried, confused… and nervous.

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Merrick pulled away from his flute, frowning and looking around in confusion.

A weird melody had been playing… sounding like a flute… but it couldn't have been him…

"Merrick, that was awful." The Princess informed him.

"It wasn't me." He insisted, moving forward a bit to see if anything could've caused it.

"Yeah right." The Princess clearly didn't believe him, "Look, if you don't wanna be here….."

He blinked and turned to her, shocked.

"Whoa, what do you mean?" Merrick questioned in complete shock.

The Princess huffed, "3,000 years ago you used to enjoy our morning song together! …Now it's a chore for you!"

"Well, maybe I like being alone!" Merrick snapped, feeling outraged.

Princess Shayla gasped before she retorted, "Well, maybe you just don't like being with me and the rangers…. Other than Alyssa it seems!"

Oh... He wanted to tell her something, but Merrick bit his tongue and turned away from her.

But… the Princess wasn't too happy about that either.

She stomped up to him and pushed his shoulder back so he'd look her in the eye, "You are a horrible musician and I never want to sing with you again!"

With that said, she stormed off.

Merrick growled and went to walk after her, but turned away, trying really hard to control his anger.

But he was about to call out to her…

When the DeerZord moaned and got his full attention.

"Hey… Hey, wait!" Merrick called after it…

But, the DeerZord jumped away from him.

Merrick growled and stormed away, really angry.

**##########################################################################################**

To make a long day short, Merrick spent most of it, moping about.

While there was an Org attack that he helped out with, which revealed the cause of the weird Flute playing, he was still reluctant to do anything about what had happened earlier that day.

Until, of course, the Wind blew at him, informing him of the danger the Rangers were in.

Including Alyssa.

Not wasting a second, he bolted out of the Roadhouse.

**##########################################################################################**

Merrick never would admit it, but he hated that he broke up with Alyssa… he loved her with all his heart and soul, that had never changed.

But he was so afraid of losing her… he couldn't risk being in love…

"If I make it through this… I swear Alyssa Enrilé I'll make it up to you with every fiber of my being." He gritted out before he suddenly came to a stop where the Animarium usually was.

Biting his lip, he thought about his next move.

He wanted to save Alyssa… and the other…

But… the Princess….

He needed to apologize to her first…

With that, he turned and headed to the Animarium.

**##########################################################################################**

After a short explanation, a promise he was gonna have to keep… and a grueling battle, Merrick found himself watching a Megazord battle…

But… the Megazord itself, wasn't his, or the other Rangers…

No. It was Animus.

As the team and he watched it though, he found himself constantly looking over at Alyssa, biting his lip.

He wanted to tell her that he still felt something for her… but he knew he couldn't at the moment.

And even then, he didn't know how.

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Alyssa was pretty much the opposite.

While she knew she couldn't tell him right then and there, she had a whole speech planned out.

As Animus destroyed the Flute Org, he turned to them, completely silent.

Everyone gave their thanks and praise… while a couple of them asked why he had suddenly appeared…

But Animus didn't answer.

While Alyssa wasn't completely worried… she saw Merrick turning and walking away, demorphing.

"Merrick?" Princess Shayla called his attention.

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He turned to look at her, raising a brow.

"Remember tomorrow… we have to sing for the deer." The Princess let out calmly.

Merrick smiled and nodded at the Princess.

He had other things to do… but he made a promise.

And he was gonna keep it.

But, with that, he continued to walk away…

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Alyssa couldn't take it anymore.

She'd spent too long trying to convince herself that Merrick was right…

Trying to ignore how she still felt about him…

Trying to ignore that he had let her go for a reason.

She was now tired of trying to hide how she felt…

So, she chased after him, "Merrick, wait!"

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He frowned and turned to her.

"What Alyssa?" He sighed, "I really need to go… especially now…."

Since Animus was back, somehow… he needed some time to think…

Well, actually, a lot of time if he could help it.

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"Merrick… I…" Alyssa wanted to talk to him… badly.

But, Merrick clearly wasn't in the mood.

"I need to go…"

With that, he continued on.

And it was then, that Alyssa couldn't take it anymore.

"It's Valentine's day!" She ran in front of him, "Merrick, I have been kicking myself for the last two weeks, feeling miserable… even though I don't show it."

"Alyssa-"

"No. I need to say this." She held up a hand, cutting him off, "I know what you said, and I understand that we shouldn't be together if one of us were to die… but I… I cannot stop thinking about what I could do to fix everything between us… and I know when we broke up, we were getting over everything with Zen-Aku…. And I… I don't know what it would take for you to take me back, if at all…. And I know I'm sounding stupid right now, and you probably don't care about me like that anymore… even if you did, I understand if you wouldn't want to now–"

Merrick pressed his lips into hers, cupping his hands under her face.

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Merrick hated seeing Alyssa so upset…

He didn't really care much for the holiday, but he also didn't care to see Alyssa sad.

When he pulled away, he looked at her eyes.

"I love you too, Alyssa." He whispered, "But it's like I said… we can't be together."

"I understand that you're afraid of one of us dying… but… fear shouldn't stop love." Alyssa let out.

Merrick glanced at his shoes, then back up at her, "You know… the more time I spend with you… it gets harder and harder to say no…"

"Is… that a good thing?" Alyssa bit her lip.

Merrick released them by kissing them softly before giving his answer, "Very…. I am so sorry I made you feel like that, Alyssa….. I didn't know I meant so much to you…"

"It's okay." Alyssa assured softly, then turned away, "I… I should go…"

But, before she could, Merrick took her hand.

"I want to take you somewhere… I promise it won't take long at all."

Alyssa frowned, then nodded, letting him pull her away.

**##########################################################################################**

They were right back to the bank of the river, where Merrick had snapped at her two weeks ago.

"Come here." He gently guided her to the boulder they'd been at.

Alyssa frowned in confusion before Merrick let her hand go, fishing something out of the riverbank.

When he found it, he brought it back to her and opened it for her to see.

It was a beautiful silver and white shaded necklace.

The thing about it, though, was that it had a wolf head and tiger head (in their respective colors) touching each other into the shape of a heart.

"Wow." Alyssa breathed out when she saw this.

Merrick walked behind her, putting the necklace on her neck as she gently moved her hair for him.

"Thank you, Merrick." She whispered softly.

Merrick shook his head, "I wanted to give that to you two weeks ago…. But…. I didn't think you'd want it after what happened….. thankfully, that jeweler gave me a modern marvel that is a waterproof case… so… it actually remained dry…"

Alyssa giggled and Merrick couldn't help smiling at it.

"You have a beautiful laugh." He whispered, then looked away, "I am so sorry I ruined everything…."

"You didn't." Alyssa put a hand on his shoulder.

"Alyssa… I broke up with you because I was afraid…. And…. I literally just promised the Princess on the Animarium, that'd I'd try harder to be with her and the rest of you…. I didn't before because…. Because I couldn't face my past…. Because of what I'd done…. And… I'm….. I'm afraid to love anyone, Alyssa…. And I don't want you to be upset later on because of me."

"Merrick… I would never be upset unless you truly hated me…. You shouldn't be afraid to love because of that…." Alyssa took his hand.

Merrick looked at their hands, then up at her eyes.

Finally, he let out a gentle smile as he spoke, "You know… I never stopped kicking myself for breaking up with you, to begin with….. do you mind if we start over?"

Alyssa smiled and nodded, "Yes, I'd love to be your girlfriend again."

"Alright!" Merrick grinned, hugged her, turning her in a circle…. Accidentally sending them into the river.

"Ah!" Alyssa yelped softly in surprise.

Merrick gasped softly before he quickly pulled them back out, "Sorry! Sorry!"

Alyssa just laughed lightly, shaking her head a bit, "It's okay! It's refreshing."

Merrick smiled a little, then kissed her all over again.

When he pulled away, he looked at her eyes, "Happy Valentine's day… I promise… next year… I'll make it up to you."

Alyssa smiled and shook her head softly, "It's okay, Merrick… yes, today started bad… but you just made it the most beautiful day ever."

Merrick smiled before he gently stroked her cheek, "Good… now come on… we better get you toweled off… I'm sure the others are wondering where you are."

"You know… right now? I don't really care what they're thinking… I just wanna spend some time with you."

Merrick blinked, then smiled, "Good… cause I didn't want to see you leave my sight for a while."

Alyssa smiled before she kissed his cheek.

He grinned and kissed hers, "I love you, Alyssa…"

"And I love you, Merrick." She whispered back.

Merrick smiled before he took her hand and they began to walk off.

**##########################################################################################**

Deeg greeted them almost instantly.

He jumped into Merrick's arms and licked him.

Merrick laughed, "Deeg!"

Said pup barked before Merrick let him jump down.

"You've really grown attached to him." Alyssa noted.

Merrick nodded, "Yeah… and it was thanks to you for that… so thank you."

Alyssa smiled and shook her head, "I did it for you… really… so I guess I should thank you."

Merrick smiled before he leaned over to kiss her…..

"Hey, guys."

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They jumped apart when they heard the collective voices and looked to see the other four rangers standing close to the front door, Taylor putting down Dos while they didn't notice.

Deeg growled at them before he quickly ducked behind his owner's leg as Dos went behind her owner's.

"What's up?" Alyssa asked kindly.

"You ran off… we were just wondering why." Max replied simply.

Merrick sighed, "Because of me… if you hadn't realized it… two weeks ago… when Zen-Aku had returned… we… broke up because I was afraid…"

"How does that relate to this?" Cole folded his arms.

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Merrick clenched his teeth and hands.

"I… ran after him because I needed him to understand that I still loved him." Alyssa let out, "Guys, no matter what… I will always love him."

"And I will never love the Princess like I do Alyssa." Merrick added, "You might not be able to understand that… and it's fine…"

"But… don't question it." Alyssa finished.

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Taylor smiled and nodded.

"I get it… plus… it's Valentine's day… while I hate that holiday… it's still good." She agreed, "Especially for the both of you."

The other three raised their brows at her.

"Come on guys, the Princess might still love him… but they love each other… that's enough for me." With that, she turned and left.

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The other three sighed and followed, but not before Cole gave Merrick a glare over his shoulders.

Merrick simply shrugged said glare off.

"So…" Alyssa let out softly, "What should we do?"

Dos meowed and jumped up onto Alyssa's arms.

She smiled and stroked the cat's back before looking at back at the Lunar Wolf as he answered.

"If… you want to… you can stay here tonight… or… for as long as you actually want." Merrick advised.

Alyssa smiled, then nodded, "I'd love that."

Merrick smiled back as she gently put Dos down…

He was about to lean in to kiss her… when Willie came out with a large plate of food.

"It's about time!" The Owner let out, putting the plate down next to them.

Alyssa chuckled before they sat down at the bar, "Thanks, Willie."

"Yeah, I owe you." Merrick assured.

"Please, it's Valentine's Day." Willie shrugged, "And, by the sounds of it, you guys definitely know the true meaning of it."

The two looked at each other and smiled, "Yeah."

Willie nodded and walked away, leaving them alone.

As they left, Merrick took Alyssa's hand.

"And I'm never gonna forget it." He whispered in assurance, "Never again."

Alyssa smiled and kissed his cheek.

He turned his head and kissed her lips softly.

Which she happily returned.

And just like that, neither the Noble Tiger nor the Lunar Wolf cared about anyone or anything around them as they slowly stood back up and embraced each other, their lips still locked…

They truly loved each other… and nothing could ever change, or take, their True Love on Valentine's Day.

* * *

**Well, how was it? I know having the Flute through most of the story was pretty annoying (Especially since that is the start of a long list of episodes I hated of this season) but I figured it'd fit nicer than ****Unfinished Business****... even if it was pretty short... which I'm not usually a fan of, but it was the best I could do.**

**But now, I'll throw it over to you, do you want me to continue with a saga of Alyssa and Merrick's adventures from this story, or should I just got back to my other Alick Stories?**

**Please review with your answer.**


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